With Russia and Croatia due to meet later, Dror Kashtan's men took full advantage with goals from Toto Tamuz and Roberto Colautti either side of half-time sending them to a second win in four days - the first a 2-1 victory over FYR Macedonia in Skopje.

The result gave England even more incentive to beat Estonia in the same group.

Poland missed the chance to extend their lead at the top of Group A after slipping to a 1-0 defeat against a battling Armenia side at the Republican Stadium.

Hamlet Mkhitaryan's 64th-minute free-kick flew past Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc into the top-left corner of the net.

In the same group, Ruslan Baltiyev's goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for 10-man Kazakhstan at home to Azerbaijan after defender Maksim Zhalmagambetov was sent off for violent conduct.

The midfielder's goal cancelled out Vugar Nadyrov's first-half strike to leave the Azerbaijan side with one point when they should have had three in the Euro 2008 Group A qualifying fixture.

mfl

Finland improved their Group A qualifying chances with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Belgium.

Goals from former Charlton striker Jonatan Johansson and Aleksei Eremenko were enough for the hosts at the Olympiastadion, while Marouane Fellaini's dismissal early in the second half made the task for Rene Vandereycken's men a near impossible one.

Norway kept their Group C hopes firmly on track with a 4-0 win over Hungary.

Former Tottenham striker Steffen Iversen got the ball rolling in the first half before substitute Daniel Braaten and two goals from Aston Villa forward John Carew made certain of the victory to move the Scandinavians level on points with second-placed Turkey.

Bulgaria came from a goal down to claim a 2-1 win over Belarus to boost their hopes of qualifying from Group F.

Roman Vasiluk opened the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty but Martin Petrov's free-kick hauled the home side level five minutes later.

Chavdar Yankov completed the turnaround before half-time.

mfl